MEMA Members Discuss Suppliers’ Counterfeiting Concerns with Leading Government Officials
Executives from several automotive parts manufacturers joined representatives of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) on Oct. 21 for a meeting to discuss the seriousness of the industry’s counterfeiting issue with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Under Secretary Asa Hutchinson and other members of his department. Hutchinson, who reports directly to Homeland Security Department Secretary Tom Ridge, noted during the meeting that the government will continue to devote resources behind fighting this growing problem and hopes that penalties for counterfeiters and those trafficking and selling counterfeit products will be increased.
Anti-Counterfeiting Initiative Launched
Four U.S. agencies yesterday announced a coordinated attack to stem the global trade in counterfeit merchandise and pirated music and movies, an underground industry that law-enforcement officials estimate to be worth $500 billion each year. The effort, known as the Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP), includes stepping-up border enforcement to intercept fake goods as they are entering the United States, targeting the earnings of traders of counterfeit goods and publicizing the names of overseas companies that traffic in counterfeit products.
MEMA President Testifies: ‘China Not Meeting WTO Commitments’
Intellectual property rights protection, the China Automotive Industry Development Policy and China’s export controls on metallurgical coke were three of the main themes that interim MEMA President Scott Meyer testified on before U.S. trade representatives and officials from the departments of Labor, Commerce and other U.S. government agencies, during a hearing on China’s compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. Meyer testified that MEMA believes China is not meeting its WTO commitments with respect to intellectual property rights protection in the automotive parts and components sector. “China is the primary global source of counterfeiting in our industry,” he said. “Counterfeit parts are widely sold throughout China and are shipped from China to the U.S and around the world.”
R. L. Polk & Co. Names Todd Fleischhauer General Manager, Canada
R. L. Polk & Co. has named Todd Fleischhauer as general manager, R. L. Polk Canada, Inc. In his new position, Fleischhauer will be responsible for managing Polk’s activities in Canada including vehicle registration reporting, automotive intelligence and analysis and marketing solutions. Fleischhauer replaces Kendra Rawls who becomes vice president, Northern Europe at Polk’s location in St. Albans, U.K.
Hella Reports Modest Sales Gains for the Year
Global automotive supplier Hella has reported a nearly two percent increase in sales for the year ending May 31. The company said the increase was spurred by above-average sales growth in Europe and the Asia/Pacific region and increasing orders for original equipment by North American automakers. Worldwide annual sales for lighting and electronics supplier Hella KGaA Hueck & Co. grew to $3.77 billion for 2003/2004, compared with the previous year’s $3.69 billion, the company reported.
U.S. Customs Enforcement Agents Meet with Industry Execs for IPR Talk
Last Thursday, Sept. 9, officials from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office gathered in Dearborn, Mich., to brief automotive industry and aftermarket executives on their role in anti-counterfeiting and IPR investigations. The event hosted by ICE in conjunction with the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association, brought together government and industry executives to learn more about IPR violations, protection and laws.
Only a Few Seats Remain for Industry Anti-Counterfeiting Meeting
Only a few seats remain for the Industry Anti-Counterfeiting meeting that takes place from 1:30-4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9, at the Dearborn Inn, 20301 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, Mich. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) are hosting the event, in cooperation with AASA.
Executive Interview with Hoon Chung, President & CEO of DST, Inc.
Our latest edition of “Executive Interview” features Hoon Chung, who was recently named president and CEO of DST, Inc., in Mission Viejo, Calif. Chung has more than 20 years of management experience in supply chain management and technology deployment services. Prior to his role as the Automotive Group senior vice president and general manager at Activant, he was the COO of Adexa, Inc., which delivers intelligent enterprise business planning and performance management solutions that link strategic, tactical and operational aspects in optimizing enterprise-wide supply chain planning and synchronization. Chung recently talked with aftermarketNews.com about his new appointment to lead DST, what he envisions for the company’s future and what he brings from his experience in other industries.
MEMA Launches New Web Site for Brand Protection, Counterfeiting Issues
A new Web site that focuses on the growing problems of counterfeited motor vehicle parts and other brand protection related issues is now live at www.mema.org . Produced and maintained by the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), the web site was designed to be a portal where the industry can go to obtain information relating to the issues of intellectual property and brand protection for motor vehicle products.
Japan Auto Parts Makers Nix Contract Renewals with Ford
Japan’s big auto parts suppliers have declined to renew contracts with Ford Motor Co. due to concerns about their intellectual property rights, a Japanese business daily reported Monday. The suppliers, such as Denso Corp. and Aisin Seiki Co., raised their concerns after Ford decided to include new provisions in its contracts allowing it to share suppliers’ technologies with other Ford group firms, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said in its evening edition.